Strategies for Making the EFA Global Action Plan Operational: The Role of UNFPA Arletty Pinel, MD Chief, Reproductive Health Branch Seventh Working Group meeting on EFA UNESCO Paris, France June 2006

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 1 Lead in comprehensive, gender-sensitive sexuality education through a life-skills approach –Promote equal treatment of girls and boys in schools –Portray positive gender roles in curricula –Build young people’s life skills in interpersonal communication, problem solving, critical thinking and negotiation skills

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 2 Integrate sexuality education into formal and non-formal education sectors –Primary and secondary school curricula –Programmes for out-of-school youth (lead on HIV prevention and education) –Work with adults/gatekeepers to get buy-in for sexuality education –Build linkages between schools and health services

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 3 Contribute toward improving educational quality through integrating relevant teaching methodologies and tools on SRH topics Build capacity of educators to utilize participatory methods in the classroom –Participatory learning action (PLA) methodologies –Life skills approaches –Peer approaches –Gender sensitivity

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 4 Support community-based empowerment initiatives for women and girls, linking them to education, livelihoods and micro-credit schemes to reduce SRH risk factors –Connect women and girls to poverty reduction and livelihoods programmes –Leverage partnerships with women’s NGOs to address livelihoods and SRH –Concrete application: linking poor girls (at risk of early marriage, HIV infection, etc.) to livelihoods opportunities

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 5 Incorporate education into SRH programmes aimed at stigma reduction and social rehabilitation for affected communities –Women living with HIV –Women living with fistula  Use of innovative methodologies enabling affected individuals to learn and develop new skills to function in their communities

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 6 Support alternative channels for education to reach out-of-school youth to promote SRH –Examples: information communication technologies (ICTs), distance learning methodologies, entertainment education, PLA methodologies –Train young people to develop and design their own communications campaign and SRH messages

UNFPA Actions: Programming Strategy 7 Promote and support skills building, literacy development and vocational opportunities for women and young girls –Special attention to those involved in basic health care delivery, such as midwives and community health workers –Synergize with efforts to strengthen health systems and build health workforce capacity

UNFPA Actions: Policy Direction 1 Advocate for national and sub-national policies and innovative programmes to improve girls’ retention in schools, to delay age at marriage, and to reduce gender bias in the classroom and in curricula –Provide evidence-based inputs on gender gaps in education system for enhanced policy dialogues –Advocate for socio-economic alternatives to delay early marriage –Advocate for girl-friendly schools

UNFPA Actions: Policy Direction 2 Advocate for education (particularly SRH education) elements in national sectoral plans and strategies linking health and education –As part of efforts to include SRH into PRSPs, SWAps, maternal and newborn roadmaps, etc. –Call for governments to earmark adequate funding for education, including sexuality education, in MTEFs or education sector budgeting for in-school and out-of-school young people –Scan the socio-political climate and conduct stakeholder analyses to identify potential allies for sexuality education

UNFPA Actions: Policy Direction 3 Establish linkages between MDG 2 on education with MDGs 3 (gender), 4 (child health), 5 (maternal health), and 6 (HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria) and promote programme strategies aimed at –Reducing poverty and gender inequities –Promoting human rights protection for the poor and disenfranchised populations, including women and young people  Focus policy dialogues on highlighting the importance of improving the quality and coverage of education as a fundamental strategy for poverty reduction

Example 1: HIV/AIDS and sexuality education Problem: Despite history of HIV/AIDS education, basic knowledge is low among young people (33% men, 20% women); behaviours could improve Effective school-based HIV/AIDS education cannot be dissociated from sexuality education A, B and C (abstinence, “be faithful”, condoms) all require acknowledging sexual and emotional feelings, negotiating skills, confronting power dynamics, etc.

Example 2: Midwifery to address MDG 5 Human resources for skilled birth attendance – Midwives and Others with Midwifery Skills (M.O.M.S) – are a major challenge in countries with high maternal mortality Short-term solution is complicated because it needs minimal skills (at least 9 years of schooling) Long-term solution: active search of future midwives in communities; girls given scholarships to complete schooling; government commitment for placement and retention in health system

Example 3: Para-educational models (slide 1 of 2) Problem: not enough secondary schools to absorb primary school graduates therefore, pre-adolescents/adolescents “fall through the cracks” thus increasing vulnerabilities and risk factors while decreasing protective ones Potential solution: establish community-based para-educational systems using youth-led initiatives

Example 3: Para-educational models (slide 2 of 2) Secondary school: Supports initiative Accepts students as infrastructure becomes available Incorporates lessons learned to enhance teaching methodologies Youth-led community based para-educational setting: Housed in community Uses older peer educators with vocation for teaching; scholarships to attend teacher training colleges Safety net; life skills rather than curriculum driven MOE oversees, facilitates and monitors